Question:
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, hope you all are happy and well today.
I am a noobie here, never woulda guessed huh?
As a brief introduction, I'm 39 years old and I live in south Texas (the land of perpetual summer), a little wide spot in the road called Pleasanton, about 35 miles south of San Antonio. I moved here with my now 17 year old son about almost 4 years ago from NorthEast Georgia.
What, you may ask, would bring a dumb country boy from the beautiful south eastern US roughly 1200 miles to the middle of the desert? A woman of course. Met her on the internet, she loves my son we're all happy, the rest is history.
I typed all that because I was sure that you all really do give a rats behind.
In GA I worked in the mining industry, heavy equipment, haul trucks (Mack), etc; for 15 years. Over the years I've had several friends and a younger brother who were/are truck drivers. I've been OTR as a passenger many times and even as a driver on rare occasions, but don't tell anyone.
I've had a Class B CDL since before they were CDL, remember when licenses were class 1 through 5?
Am I a trucker driver? Hell no. But I'm not totally ignorant about the industry or the lifestyle. Its something I've always thought of doing but never did.
I want to turn this class B into a class A. I've taken the written part of the test. My license is still a Class B but they put some kind of "restriction" on it that means I can drive a Class A vehicle with a licensed driver in the cab. Lotta freekin good that does me right? I need to take the driving portion of the test but I don't know anyone with a truck who knows me well enough to let me use their truck.
I don't have a spare 5-6 grand to go to school, honestly I don't wanna go OTR anyway. Here in south TX there seems to be alot of what I call "local" hauling. Bulk hauling like belly dumps and end dumps and also ALOT of tankers that run to the coast and back or down to Laredo, etc. One company that comes to mind is AGE, don't know if you guys have seen them around but most of them that run around here are day cabs. This is what I want to get into.
I'm currently working for a tire testing company driving 4 wheelers 10-12 hours a day (or night) doing 5-600 miles per shift for minimum wage, this ain't paying the bills so I gotta make a move soon.
I would appreciate any input/advice you folks might have. Thanks for reading.
VLA

Answer:

Here's your 'problem', as I see it. Should you manage to get yourself a "Class A" without going to a "truck driving school", you will most likely encounter a fair amount of resistance in your job search, primarily due to the cost of insuring you. Therefore, what I would suggest is that you hit the bricks and talk to whoever does the hiring at the local trucking companies and see if they'll hire you with no experience and no school. If they will, you may be able to trade a few weeks of free labor for enough training to pass the CDL test.
Failing that, I'd suggest that you look at community colleges for CDL training. BOL.

Answer:
I would have to agree with Phil. Your going to need to put on your walking shoes and start knocking on some doors. South Tx is a little different and there may be companies you can start with. Most though will need you to know how to drive their trucks. They might train after you have the license. Sounds like you have a learners permit now. Getting the Class A takes more than just driving around the block. You'll have to know how to do proper pre-trip inspections, back in defferent angles and not take down signs on corners. While it's not particularly hard to learn you have to learn it. Most companies that have good local jobs can find drivers with at-least some experience.
Good luck looking and let us know how it works out.

Answer:
Thanks for the advice gentlemen.
I realize my plan (or lack there of) is kind of unorthodox. Obviously the most common path to becoming a trucker is to attend "truck driving school". I suppose we could debate all day about the actual usefulness of these schools, more on that in a moment.
But its not like the old days when trucking was a skill passed from one generation to the next and a person learned while actually doing it, you know, before the government got involved.
My brother actually lied his way into becoming a trucker. He took a job with the local Electric Membership Coop with no intention of keeping the job. As soon as they helped him get his Class A he left them. Then had his girlfriend answer the phone as "blah blah trucking company" and lie about his years of OTR experience. Before you knew he actually HAD 2-3 years OTR and he actually became a quite skilled, cautious driver. I just couldn't do it that way myself. Its that "what goes around comes around" thing that bothers me.
Aside from pounding the pavement as you guys suggested my best hope may be the company I currently work for. They won a contract to start testing big truck tires for Michelin. The head guy said they would help me get my Class A so I can participate in that testing. Problem is that doesn't start until June and they have been known not to keep their word on such things.
Which brings me back to the schooling issue. The man who told me this also told me that after I get my Class A he would give me his own test. They have to make sure I can actually drive the trucks (Freightliner Condos), I can't be running over curbs and stuff, they are testing the tires and don't want unnecessary damage done to them.
So anyway he relates to me how years ago when they did a simular test on big truck tires, they had several "truck driving school" grads come in to apply for the positions. He said when he gave them his own driving test many of them didn't even know how to split gears. The reason? They had been taught on trucks equipped with automatic transmissions. DOH!

Answer:
Check with the local unemployment office. They are aware of special funding programs which might help you.
Most companies want experienced drivers, and most local companies and small 'Mom Pop" operations ask for 2yrs experience, for their insurance. A 'free' training is offered by the big 'training' companies, but I understand that it comes with a debt to work off the commitment to work for them or pay off the price of their training you....(I've heard stories of students not passing 'their ' programs and still being responsible for the fee).
If you absolutely had no previous skills, I'd encourage consideration of a regional vocational CDL training program in preference over a CDL mill, or a company program:
The reason: You are trained the correct way to do things, ask questions, and, from what I understand, the atmosphere is more professionally and educationally courteous. More importantly, the publicly funded program has standards to meet which are more in keeping with the law, DOT regs, log book, etc..... No company hype and propaganda, and no yelling at the students when in a truck.... Such programs may offer a greater variety of truck configurations and experiences i.e. cab over, long nose, etc; different gear patterns and configurations in the trucks; a well marked skill field including fixed props (docks), fuel isles, DIY truck wash- a good experience; community truck lanes and problems, which instructors are familiar with and can prepare you before having you drive them to less familar stagings, and hopefully plenty of US and Interstate HWYs nearby for variety in your OTR training experience.
Often the instructor to student ratio is better. You may have more instructors, which offer variety in methods and ways of looking at the same problem such as backing.....so one is more likely to hit upon the 'nugget' which fits your ring for 'getting it'.
Either way, you will still probably be stuck with a big 'training' company, where (and if this don't break your heart....you may emerge to be a 'dweller') where you may be expected to experience not just a little of what Skywalker says in another post "To expand on what the other gentleman....."
READ IT. It's true, and because it is, it is a wonder that any newbie makes it into this essential occupation.Rejoice in the LORD
John Adams, 1799 "the general principles, on which the fathers achieved independence, were the general principals of Christianity."

Answer:
You might want to check with "Vo-Techs" in the area....or Community Colleges. In FL the cost of training thru these venues is far lower than the CDL mills. Some of them may have CDL programs. Also, for a job search, you can go to http://www.ajb.dni.us It is a nationwide search engine for jobs. The State of Texas has a portal or gateway link through that site that will let you search for jobs in your area/region/locality. I think you may even be able to set the distance to search up so you can tailor your job search.So I like what I do, you don't, too bad, get over it. Get on with your life, I am.

Answer:
Can you not go and haul a hopper bottom for some of the "Custom Harvesters" who will be "invading" the mid to northern part of Texas from mid May to early June?
Then you may get a contact with a large farm and still be able to get your class A cdl and drive local for them.